Sand-pipe heater



c.- B; JOHNS.

SAND PIPE HEATER..

APPL CATION FILED FEB. 21, 1922.

1,423,429. Pate ted uly 18, 1922.

IN VENTOR. Q'IL la v j} Jafl/vs,

ATTORNEY.

fihlltl filiir snares ti d t fihll" SAND-PIPE HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patrgntgd July 13, 31922 Applicationfiled February 21, 1922. Serial No. 538,391.

To all who r11. it may comicwt:

Be it known that I, GHILION B. JOHNS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ebensburg, in the county of Cambria and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sand-Pipe Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the sanding de vices employed upon railwaylocomotive and the like, and has for one of its objects to provide asimply constructed attachment whereby the sand pipe is heated and theaccumulation of moisture therein prevented to insure the free flowing ofthe sand.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device of thischaracter which may be readily attached to and removed from the sandpipe for renewal or repairs, and without detaching; the sand pipe.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device of thischaracter in which the heat imparting qualities may be readily increasedor decreased without material structural change in the apparatus.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described andthen specifically pointed out in the claims, and in the drawingsillustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is aside view of a portion of a conventional locomotive, with theimprovement applied.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the improved attachment.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

The improved device may be applied to the sand pipes of railwaylocomotives, trolley cars, or electrically operated motors of variouskinds and the like, and it is not desired to limit the invention in thisrespect.

For the purpose of illustration the representation of a portion of alocomotive is shown in which a part of the boiler is indicated at 10, apart of the frame at 11, one of the main drive wheels at 12, a portionof a railway rail at 13, the sand box at 14, and the usual sand pipe at15, of conventional construction.

At its lower end the sand pipe 15 is eX- ternally threaded to receive aninternally threaded cap member 16 and a cap member 17 which is notthreaded on the pipe 15 and with a section of piping 18 connected to thetwo cap members. A. clamp nut 19 15 applied to the threads of the pipe15 in advance of the nonthreaded cap member 17 and operating to firmlyclamp the caps 16 and 17 and the pipe section 18 to the sand pipe.

A look nut 20 is applied to the sand pipe externally of the clamp nut 19and rounded to form a nozzle to the pipe, and reducing the liability toinjury to the pipe in event of its working loose.

A suitable packing, indicated at 21 is disposed between the clamp nut 19and the cap member 17.

The pipe section 18 is considerably larger than thesand pipe 15 wherebya relatively large space is left between the sand pipe ing edges of thecaps 16 and 17 and connected at its ends at 25 to the member 22. Thecaps thus serve to prevent displacement of the device relative to themembers 11 and 22.

Surrounding the pipe 15 between the caps 16 and 17 are layers ofinsulation, preferably mica, and indicated at 26, and surrounding theinsulation are coils of relatively fine copper wire or the like, andindicated at 27, and between the coils 27 and the pipe section 18 is awrapping of fire proof material such as asbestos and indicated at 28.The asbestos being a non-conductor of heat prevents the waste of heatfrom the coils.

A. main electric conductor is indicated at 29 and coupled to the coils27 through suitable binder posts, one of which is indicated at 30.

The source of energy for the electric current is not shown as it formsno part of the present invention, but the usual motor carried uponlocomotives and trolley cars will be utilized to furnish the requiredcurrent.

The conductor wires will preferably be carried to the cab of thelocomotive through the hand rail, indicated at 31, and provided with acontrolling switch indicated at 32, convenient to the engineer.

By this means the electric current will be conveyed to the coils and theheat generated heat the pipe and prevent the formation of moisture atthe base or nozzle end of the pipe and thus effectually preventing theclogging of the pipe.

The improved device is simple in construction, can be adapted withoutmaterial structural change to locomotives and like vehicles of differentforms, and operates effectually for the purposes described.

The cap nut 16 is threaded. onto pipe 15 the thread being slightlytapered at the upper end, so that by screwing cap nut 16 tight, or sofar it will go a Water tight joint is formed between the members 15 and16 preventing water from entering the heating chamber from above. Thecap nut 17 not being threaded is slipped over the end of pipe 15 and theclamp nut 19 with the pack ing 21 torms a water tight joint below theheating chamber and serves to hold the heater more firmly in place. Thecombined nozzle and lock nut 20 below the clamp 19 completes the outsideconstruction.

To remove the coil 27 which slips easily into the heating chamber, it isonly necessary to unscrew lock 11111520 and clamp nut 19 and remove cap17; then. disconnect the wire at 30 when the coil can be pulled out anda new coil put in.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the drawingsand set forth in the specification, but it will be 1 ,eeaeeo understoodthat modification Within the scope of the claimed invention may be madein the construction without departing from the principle 01 theinvention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Anattachment for sand pipes comprising cap members attached to the sandpipe at the discharge end in spaced relation, a tubular memberconnecting said cap memhers and spaced from the sand pipe, heatimparting means between the tubular member and the pipe, and a combinednozzle device and lock nut attached to the pipe at its discharge end.

2. The combination with a sand pipe externally threaded at the dischargeend, a cap device threaded to engage the threaded portion of the sandpipe, a cap member bearing around the sand pipe and unthreaded thereon,a'tubular member connecting said cap members and spaced from the sandpipe. a clamp, nut engaging the sand pipe and bearing against theadjacent cap member, a combined lock nut and nozzle member engaging thesand pipe externally of the clamp nut, and heat imparting means betweenthe tubular member and the sand pipe.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

GHILION B. JOHNS.

